The United States is reportedly nearing a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, according to Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East. He said that any potential deal would require both territorial and economic concessions from both sides.
Key developments on Feb. 22-23: * Zelensky willing to step down in exchange for peace * Russia launches largest drone attack since start of full-scale invasion * US mineral deal offers no security guarantees for Ukraine, NYT reports * Zelensky won't sign natural resource deal that 'will be paid by 10 generations of Ukrainians'
"I know that there are people from this Hungarian leader who have contact with people in President Trump's orbit, and are constantly raising questions... in regards to not expanding NATO into eastern Europe," President Volodymyr Zelensky said, criticizing Kremlin talking points that NATO was at fault for Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the stories impacting Ukraine this week. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg visited Kyiv as the U.S. President Donald Trump’s team started talks with Russia about a ceasefire deal — without Ukraine’s involvement.
Starmer will visit Washington D.C. in the coming week where he will meet Trump and emphasize that Kyiv “must be at the heart of any negotiations to end the war.”
The two leaders could discuss a broad range of global topics in addition to the war in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. The meeting would be a step toward "normalizing relations" between the U.S. and Russia.
"I want them to give us something for all of the money that we put up," Trump said on Feb. 22. "We're asking for rare earth and oil — anything we can get."
U.S. President Donald Trump said a new phase of ceasefire negotiations between American and Russian delegations aimed to stop Russia's war against Ukraine would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 25.
The U.S. is reportedly looking to obtain an interest in 50% of Ukraine's natural resources through a joint investment fund as payback for its support for Kyiv.
The current pipeline system of the alliance, dating back to the Cold War, ends in western Germany, Reuters reported.
In a 15-minute-long speech, Fico also backed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent criticism of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Sikorski said their meeting was "substantial and cordial" and it "confirmed the durability of the Polish-American alliance," Polish RMF FM reported.
Editor's note: The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. Donald Trump's return to the White House has forced Kyiv and other European capitals to ask themselves a sobering question: What will happen to Western support for Ukraine if the U.S. withdraws? The U.S. has been, by
"Russia attacked, but they shouldn't have let him attack," U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 21, after previously blaming Ukraine for starting the war.
"I think (the Ukrainians) want it. They feel good about it, and it's a significant — it's a big deal, but they want it, and it keeps us in that country, and they're very happy about it."
"This is the Russian narrative; this is how Putin has presented it for years, and I'm frankly shocked that Donald Trump has now apparently embraced it himself," German opposition leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Ukraine's president is an illegitimate "dictator" aligns with Kremlin war objectives and puts Volodymyr Zelensky in an almost impossible situation, experts and analysts have told the Kyiv Independent. "In the last few days we’ve seen how closely Trump has aligned himself with
"Canada is not ready for a change in the membership of the G7 and is standing its ground," Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Natalka Cmoc said.
Key developments on Feb. 21: * Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims * Zelensky is not 'important' to negotiations on ending war, Trump says * 'No appetite' for new Ukraine aid bill, US House speaker says * Trump's envoy Kellogg praises Zelensky as 'courageous leader' after talks
"I don't think he's very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"President Zelensky is going to sign that deal, and you will see that in the very short term," U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said.
"Extensive and positive discussions with (President Volodymyr Zelensky), the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team," Keith Kellogg said.
Some 26.1% of Ukrainians said they completely approve Zelensky, while another 36.9% said they tend to approve him. The overall figure is higher than in polls conducted years before Russia's full-scale invasion, as well as in the spring of 2024.
Europe is not likely to form a common army, Macron clarified, but can work to create joint defense capabilities and autonomy from the U.S.
"This is a negotiation. And in a negotiation, you negotiate. Ukraine wants to negotiate minerals, so we're talking about it," a White House official was quoted as saying.
Within weeks of U.S. President Donald Trump saying he wanted to do a deal with Kyiv on its “rare earths and other things,” it became clear the U.S. wasn’t just interested in Ukraine’s critical minerals and rare earth elements. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent visited
Key developments on Feb. 20: * Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says * Starmer to pitch plan on 30,000 European peacekeepers in Ukraine to Trump, Telegraph reports * US refuses to co-sponsor UN resolution condemning Russia, resists labeling Moscow 'aggressor' in G7 statement, media report * Russia
The U.S. delegation reportedly rejected the demand, but concerns remain over what concessions President Donald Trump might consider to secure a deal on ending war with Russia.
Despite a long history of controversial and bombastic statements, U.S. President Donald Trump still managed to stun those watching this week by calling President Volodymyr Zelesnky a "dictator" and blaming Ukraine for Russia's full-scale invasion. Trump's comments were the latest example of increasingly hostile rhetoric towards Ukraine that has,
The meeting in Kyiv was expected to be followed by a press briefing, but Washington requested that no joint statements be made, Zelensky's spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, told reporters.
"In previous years, the United States has consistently co-sponsored such resolutions in support of a just peace in Ukraine," a source told Reuters.
The sources told Reuters that Trump wants to make a deal before potentially authorizing more U.S. military aid for Kyiv or moving forward with an attempt to broker formal Ukraine-Russia peace talks.
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